Norwich

Norwich's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion, marriage and health.

The population passed 130,000

In the 10 years leading up to the latest census, the population of Norwich increased by 9.0%, from almost 122,000 to 133,000.

The addition of almost 11,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Norwich was home to, on average, 24 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

A younger Norwich

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Norwich decreased by one year, from 35 to 34 years.

This city had the third-lowest average age in Eastof England and remained younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of almost 5,800 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by about 700.

About 21% of people in Norwich are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Norwich by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Norwich

The number of people in Norwich that described themselves as having no religion increased from just under 34,000 in 2001 to just over 56,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 28% to 42% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Eastof England (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Norwich that described themselves as Christian decreased from just over 73,000 in 2001 to just under 60,000 in 2011 (from 60% to 45%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just under 12,000 to about 11,000 (from 9.6% to 8.2%).

About 2,600 people (0.7%) said they were Muslim, up from about 890 in 2001 (2.0%).

The population without a religion in Norwich increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Norwich by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

More single people in Norwich

Norwich saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership.

In 2011, just under one in two (47%) people aged 16 and over in Norwich said they were single, compared with 40% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 39% to 34%.

Across the region, only Welwyn Hatfield saw a greater rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership (from 31% to 39%).

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership, as the regional average grew from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Norwich residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.8% to 5.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65% in 2001. The percentage of Norwich residents that described their health as fair decreased from 25% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England, while the percentage of residents that perceived their health as good or very good grew faster than anywhere else in the region

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Norwich decreased by 4.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Norwich, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More students

Norwich saw Eastof England's second-largest rise in the proportion of students.

In 2011, just over 1 in 19 (5.4%) people aged 16 to 74 in Norwich said they were in education, compared with 3.5% in 2001. The percentage that were employed remained close to 51%.

Across the region, only Welwyn Hatfield saw a greater rise in the proportion of students (from 4.0% to 6.8%).

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of students, as the regional average grew from 2.3% to 3.0%.

The percentage of students in Norwich increased by 1.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Norwich, Eastof England and England that said they were in education, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Norwich working less than 16 hours increased from 2.4% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (7.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 11% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.9% in 2001 to 2.9% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Norwich increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Norwich, Eastof England and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

Norwich saw Eastof England's largest fall in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just under 1 in 15 (6.7%) households in Norwich had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 7.5% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 24% to 23%.

Across the region, Watford saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents (from 9.8% in 2001 to 9.4% in 2011).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Norwich

The percentage of Norwich residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 2.8% to 3.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.0%, while the percentage of Norwich residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 91%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 2.7% in 2001 to 3.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Norwich at a faster rate than in Broadland (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Norwich).

In Norwich, the proportion of private renting increased from 13% in 2001 to 22% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Broadland increased from 6.8% to 10%.

Across Eastof England, the share of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 15%.

The rate of social housing in Norwich fell from 36% to 33%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 49% to 44%.

Private renting in Norwich increased by 8.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Norwich, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Norwich, which comprised a single parent, increased from 9.4% to 10% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in four (23%) households had a married couple, compared with 26% in 2001. The percentage of households in Norwich, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 11% to 13%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Norwich residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.9% to 2.2% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 0.9%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 1.8% in 2001 to 2.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Norwich remained close to 2.2%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Norwich by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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